The Summer That Lasted a Lifetime
by MyImaginationStories
Summary: Lydia, a worry some girl who wishes nothing more than to escape her life and join the world of Lord of the Rings has her wish granted when she falls into the story and discovers more about herself than she ever knew. Merry/OC... rated T for a little language and blood... i only own my OC Hope you enjoy:)
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

It was the end of summer vacation and Lydia felt as though it had just began, just a few days before she had discovered her love for Lord of the Rings and had spent every waking moment reading or watching it. Lydia wasn't a stranger to situations like this but every other obsession she had would die down pretty quickly, but something about this one made her more and more obsessed. A good thing out of this obsession was that it was getting her mind away from school that was quickly approaching, which was worrying Lydia more and more. You see, Lydia was nobody at her school she didn't really talk to anyone except her friends who were also people that blended in with the wood work. Ever sense Lydia started high school the year before she was constantly stressing over making a full out of herself, to her just saying hi to a friend in the hallway could be embarrassing somehow; Lydia just easily overreacted to everything. Anyway ever sense her Lord of the Rings obsession started she more than anything wished she lived in their world or at least could go into the story, live it, then when it was over come back out and finish her life, just so she could finally be free from her constant worrying. Little did she know her wish would be granted and her summer wouldn't be ending any time soon.

As she sat on the empty hay wagon Lydia's long blond hair flowed in the breeze and she imagined herself as a hobbit traveling through the shire on a beautiful sunny day. But in reality it was a humid grey skied day, and Lydia looked nothing like a hobbit her hair that was put back in a ponytail was long and strait plus she was very tall for her age, her mother told her she looked a lot more like an elf. "I wish, I wish, I wish" Lydia said to herself as the wagon she was riding in started up the path to the fields. Lydia and her brother were doing their chores on the family farm; today they were to take a wagon up on the hill, then move the mower from the pasture to the driveway so father could fix it. The wagon Lydia was riding on was an old wooden one that was being barrowed from the farm next door, Lydia didn't trust it at all and stopped daydreaming about the Shire and started thinking about the wagon, she had ridden up and down this path many times but when she started to hear a cracking coming from the wagon she wished she had rode with her brother on the tractor instead. Then all of a sudden a very loud CRACK filled the air and the wagon quickly started rolling down the path, Lydia knew right away it was either going to hit the large fence post or go right into the pond when it reached the bottom of the path. Without thinking much else she jumped of the wagon landing right in the bushes on the side of the path, Lydia didn't think she landed on her head but when she landed everything went black….


	2. Chapter 2: Just Go With It

**Hi everyone I'm Libby and I hope you will like my very first fanfiction, sorry if the beginning sucked I tried my best. This story is sorta inspired by me, Lydia is pretty much exactly like me and yes I am very afraid of embarrassing myself, especially in school. So anyway hope you enjoy and if you think it is weird to make a lotr story that has a romance with Merry then sorry but he's my favorite character. Anyway Bye**

Lydia's POV

It feel like I woke up from a deep sleep, I was half lying in a bush (thank goodness it wasn't a thorn bush), and my head really hurts. "What the heck" I say out loud I'm not at home this wasn't the path I was just going up; I have never been here before. Something else isn't right either; my hair was longer, and curly! I'm not even wearing my clothes; I'm wearing a blue colored dress with a red checkered apron. Suddenly I relies what had happened and a huge grin appears on my face" my dream just came true". Yes!, I had to pinch my arm just to make sure I wasn't really dreaming but no I was really here in Middle Earth. But wait, if I'm in the story where are the characters? suddenly I heard people walking up behind me,

End Lydia's POV

"Mushrooms" Pippin answered as he ran to a spot next to the path.

Lydia knew all of the characters that walked out behind him, Frodo, Sam ,and Merry.

She just sat there staring and not really sure if she should say something or not.

Then Merry suddenly saw her "A GIRL" he exclaimed and he held out his hand to help Lydia up.

"Are you hurt?" "What happened to you?" "Who are you?" so many questions were asked to Lydia she didn't know which one to reply to or what to even say.

"Give her some room" Merry said "ok, who exactly are you" he asked

"My name is Lydia" I replied

"Why haven't we seen you around the Shire before?" Pippin asked

"Well" Lydia said "I'm not from the Shire" everyone, except Frodo who was staring down the path, gave her a strange look.

"I thought all hobbits were from the Shire, or at least live around the area" Sam said

"I'm from a place far away, I was traveling here when my horse was spooked and I fell off, then you found me,

Lydia was cut off when Frodo told them all to get off the road

I remember this part, Lydia thought

They all hid behind a tree root and the black rider was right behind where they were, Frodo was looking at the ring like he wanted to put it on, then Merry had the idea to throw one of the things they had stolen and the black rider ran towards the sound.

Everyone ran as fast as they could away

"What was that?" Merry panted as they continued running

Everyone hurried around trees, still running from the creatures.

They stopped behind some trees, It was night time by now

"Anything?" Sam asked.

"Nothing." Frodo shook his head.

"What's going on?" Pippin asked.

Merry moved past Pippin and stopped next to Frodo.

"That Black Rider was looking for something... Or someone. Frodo?"

Before he could reply, Sam said "Get down!"

Everyone laid on the ground and watch the Black Rider as it quickly departed

"I have to leave the Shire. Sam and I must get to Bree." Frodo explained

"Can I come?" Lydia asked "I mean, I could offer some help with your whole adventure"

"I don't think you have a choice" said Frodo as one of the riders burst out of the forest, riding straight towards them.

Buckleberry Ferry! Follow me!" Merry instructed quickly as everyone ran after him.

Just go with it Lydia thought, this can be fun.


	3. Chapter 3: Love Maybe?

**So hope you are still reading and that you are enjoying the story. I have a question for all of my viewers, do you like Lydia's POV or do you like 3****rd**** person? Cause I can't decide, so please write a review and tell me and I can finish the story with that POV…. Thanks **

'More running, it feels like track season again' Lydia thought as she and the other hobbits ran through the forest.

They could see the water in the night horizon up ahead; they all jumped over a fence and run up to a boat.

"Throw the ropes up" Sam yelled to Merry, Pippin, and Lydia.

The boat starts sailing away but Frodo hadn't even reached it yet.

"FRODO!" everyone yelled

Right before the rider catches him he jumps from the dock onto the boat, safely.

The black rider stairs at the boat for a few moments then walks away.

They started sailing to the Brandywine Bridge 20 miles away.

During the boat ride Frodo and Sam explained the ring and what they had to do with it.

Of course Lydia already knew so she just stared at her reflection in the water, her ears were pointed and to her surprise she had freckles all over her face, something she hadn't had since she was a child. She also looked down at her hairy feet,

"Don't they shave in middle earth?" Lydia whispered to herself.

Lydia's POV

"Did you say something Lydia?" asked Merry

"No... I mean yes" I stumbled trying to think of something to say, "I just was saying to myself that I wish I had something to put my hair up with".

"Well I have this piece of string" Sam said giving it to me.

"Thanks, I hate when my hair is down, it always gets in my eyes" I said as I used the string to tie my hair back.

After that we came in sight of Brandywine Bridge, but right when we got to it, it started to rain.

Everyone put their cloaks on, but of course I didn't have one.

"Here take mine" Merry said holding the cloak in his hand toward me.

"No you don't have to, I don't mind getting a little wet"

"I insist" he said "Besides it's really starting to rain heavy"

"Well thank you very much Merry" I said as I took the cloak from him

He smiled at me and I couldn't be sure but I think his cheeks turned slightly pink as he turned away.

This made me start to think, 'Did he like me' I mean that wouldn't be such a bad thing, all of the hobbits were my favorite characters in the story, and trust me I thought they all were pretty cute, now that I think about it Merry was absolutely adorable… ok then I think I have a crush on a hobbit.

As we walked I continued to think about Merry, how can there be any way that he likes me? No one back home ever liked me, I never even had a boyfriend.


	4. Chapter 4: The Prancing Pony Incident

**I everyone Libby here! , just wanted to say I think that I am going to write the story in Lydia's POV because it's easier and I my ideas come faster to me that way. Anyway hope you like the chapter, I will try to make it longer than the other ones :)**

Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, and I finally reached The Prancing Pony, I asked Merry if he wanted is cloak back but he told me to keep it.

"Ok, thanks" I told him

"Would you like me to buy you a drink, Lydia?" Merry asked

"No thanks, I don't drink"

He gave me a weird look and walked up to the bar.

I sat down at a table with Frodo and Sam, who had already gotten drinks.

"So Lydia tell us more about where you're from" said Sam

"Well" I said as Pippin sat down at the table "I'm from a place called America, it's really faraway"

"What brought you here?" asked Sam

"I got this odd feeling that I needed to go somewhere else" I lied

"A feeling in the pit of your stomach?" asked Pippin

"Ya, sort of…I." I was cut off by Merry returning to the table setting down a large glass.

"This my friends, is a pint"

"They come in pints?, I'm getting one" exclaimed Pippin

I giggled a little, that was always my favorite part in the movie.

"So how exactly did you get here?" asked Sam.

I paused, trying to think of something to say "I don't really remember, I believe the fall must have made me forget some things" I partially lied, because really I didn't remember how I got here.

"Who is that fellow staring at us?" Frodo asked the waiter

I already knew who he was and why he was there, he was Aragorn someday he would become a king.

I watched as the next scene played out in front of me, Pippin told everyone about Frodo Baggins and when Frodo tried to grab Pippin he tripped and the ring fell on his finger, making him disappear.

"Where did Frodo go?" asked Sam sounding scared

"The ring fell on his finger and it made him disappear" I said

"Well where do we find him?" Sam asked again

"ummm, just start looking around, he has to show up somewhere"

They all started moving chairs back, looking under tables, and I watched as Aragorn walked over to where Frodo last was and I saw him reappear, then Aragorn took him into a room.

I called Sam, Pippin, and Merry over and told them what I saw, they all grabbed weapons, or random items that they scrounged up, and headed for the room.

Following them from behind I grabbed a butter knife from a nearby table, it was probably the closest to a weapon out of everything everyone else grabbed, even know I knew that there wasn't real trouble.

Sam broke down the door with a stool that he had grabbed as his weapon.

"Let him go" said Sam

"You can no longer wait for the wizard Frodo" Aragorn said

After that he brought us to a building across the street where there were beds and we could get some sleep.

But before I could go to bed, Merry approached me with a package,

"Here" he said "I managed to sneak away when we were at the bar and I bought you this" he handed me the box.

I opened it and took out a beautiful light blue colored cloak "It's beautiful" I said "Thank you so much" I gave him a big hug, "I guess you can have this cloak back" I said as I took off the one I borrowed from him, I handed it back. And I defiantly knew that this time his cheeks were very red.

As he walked away I continued thinking about the fact that he might like me, 'Was I really that pretty in this world?' 'Or maybe he's just being nice?' I can remember the last time I liked someone, it was a boy at school and it was a disaster, I had told my friends about it, and of course they had to tell him, then he never really talked to me ever again, or at least I never spoke to him again…. I'm just glad my friends aren't here to ruin it this time…..


	5. Chapter 5: Strange Dreams

_Everything was a bit blurry, I didn't even know where I was. I saw my brother crying, he screamed "she's gone!… my best friend!.. My sister!". Then suddenly I saw my mother, she was also crying I heard her whisper my name between sobs, I had never seen my mother cry before. All of a sudden I saw my best friend Sabrina, she was looking out the front window of her house, a hand appeared on her shoulder and she jumped and turned around then a voice said "She's gone". And Sabrina was left staring straight forward, pure hurt in her eyes. _

All of a sudden, I awoke to a screeching sound, everyone was sitting up in their beds and Aragon was standing, gazing out the window. Across the street we saw the black riders as they got on their horses and rode away.

"What are they?" asked Sam

"Kings, great kings of men" Aragorn said "They took the rings without question, they are now slaves. Not living, nor dead, they are called the Nazgul". Looking at Frodo he said "They will never stop hunting you".

That morning we set out with Aragorn, we traveled through the forest, most of the first hour or so we listened to Sam tell us about how much he wanted to see elves.

"Oh, you'll see plenty of elves Sam" I said to him once.

We continued to walk, I was walking behind Aragorn when all of a sudden he stopped and turned around, and I did too.

"We do not stop until night fall" he told the other hobbits which were crowded around Aragorn's horse, Bill.

"What about breakfast?" asked Pippin

"You've already had it" answered Aragorn

"We've had one yet" said Pippin "What about second breakfast?"

"I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip" said Merry

Then Pippin started rambling off all of the other hobbit meals, I rolled my eyes and smiled as we continued walking.

After that, I continued thinking about my dream, maybe it was real. Am I really dead? Was I going to die?

My worst fear was that I would never see my family or friends again, even though they are sometimes really annoying.

I hate worrying so much. I just brushed it aside and continued walking.

'Whatever is happening will happen, I don't think I can stop it' I thought

I just hope I don't mess the story up though…


	6. Chapter 6: My First Battle

Honestly the movie and book makes the whole story feel like a few days, but really it takes forever all we do is walk, and walk, and walk….

Finally, when the sun started to go down Aragorn took us to the Great Watchtower of Amon Sul

He gave us weapons and told us that he was going to look around

I observed the sword he gave me "Awesome, my very first weapon" I said as I swung it around a bit.

I turned around and looked at the others, who had already lain down to get some rest. Well I should too, I thought.

I awoke when I heard Sam, Pippin, and Merry start talking; they decided to make some midnight bacon and tomatoes. I debated stopping them or maybe joining them because after all I was a bit hungry. But I then decided to just listen to their conversation once I heard them menschen my name.

"So Merry, do you care to tell Sam about what you said to me about Lydia today?" Pippin said

"Shut up Pippin!" said Merry

Sam laughed "We all know you some sort of feelings for her, giving her that cloak and all"

"I was just being a gentleman" said Merry "Something you two wouldn't know"

"If you are such a gentleman then wake her up and tell her there's food" said Sam

"Let her have her rest, just save some for her and Frodo".

"So" said Merry "What do you think about Lydia?"

"She's very… different" said Sam "She speaks in a strange accent, and it's very strange that she has blond hair and blue eyes, that's very rare for a hobbit".

"She is always so sure about things as well, almost like she knows what's going to happen." said Pippin.

"Where is she from again?" asked Merry

"A land called America" answered Sam "Says it's a land of the free, and all sort of different kinds of people live there, but mostly men not to many hobbits and she said no elves at all."

"I wonder if all of the hobbit women from America are beautiful like her?" said Merry

I heard Sam and Pippin giggle

So he does think I'm pretty, I thought

"Foods done" said Sam

"Nice crispy bacon" I heard Pippin say

Then I heard Frodo get up and stomp on the fire

I sat up as Frodo yelled "What are you doing?"

We all looked down towards the ground and saw the Nazgul.

We all grabbed our weapons and ran up to the top of the watchtower, I was actually feeling pretty pumped "My first fight" I thought

We all were standing in the center and looking in all different directions, all of a sudden they came out of the darkness and surrounded us, I of course was ready to fight but everyone else kind of scattered leaving Frodo alone being surrounded by Nazgul, Merry pulled me back with him.

"We need to help Frodo" I said to him

"What can we do?" he asked "Were only hobbits"

"But we have weapons" I said as I stood up and ran towards the Nazgul, one saw me and we fought, amazingly it wasn't as hard as I thought I just tried blocking his sword from stabbing me.

But I knew these things don't die, all I can do is try and distract them from Frodo, so I did something the Nazgul I was fighting didn't expect, I kicked his feet and tripped him, he fell.

Then I ran up to other ones and did the same thing, most of them didn't even see me coming.

But before I could get to the one attacking Frodo, I turned to see that he had already put the ring on and he was invisible, then he was stabbed, there was nothing I could do.

Then Aragorn ran in and fought with the one attacking Frodo. As I watched the epic battle, that featured Aragorn catching Nazgul on fire, I was caught by surprise and one of the Nazgul just missed me with its sword and I fell to the ground, the Nazgul held his sword up ready to stab me, I closed my eyes ready to feel horrible pain, but nothing happened when I opened my eyes I saw Merry had tripped it just as I had done to some of the other Nazgul. When it fell Aragorn swooped in and caught it on fire and it ran away.

"Thank you" I said to Merry and Aragorn

"No thank you" Merry said to me as we approached Frodo, I didn't understand what he ment.

"He needs elvish medicine" said Aragorn….


	7. Chapter 7: Are you Mad?

Aragorn carried Frodo, who was looking very sickly, and Sam remained at his side at all times.

We had been walking for at least 24 hours strait, trying to get Frodo to the elves.

He really looked bad, Aragorn stopped and set him down.

"He's going cold" said Sam

Aragorn then went with Sam to find a weed that would help Frodo

Merry, Pippin, and I were left to look after him,

"I hope he will be ok" said Pippin

"He will be" I answered calmly

"How can you be so sure?" asked Pippin, who sounded very worried

"I just know" I said

Merry stood up and walked away, unable to take the sight of Frodo any longer,

Frodo looked like he was in so much pain, "That could have been me too, you know, if you didn't save me" I said to Merry as I walked over to him.

"Yes, and I'm very glad it wasn't, I couldn't imagine two people in that sort of condition, let alone one" he said glancing over to Frodo.

"That reminds me" I said "What did you mean back at the watchtower when I said thank you then you said thank you to me?"

"Well you showed me to be brave" he said "When you didn't even care that we were just hobbits, you just fought…you must be fearless".

I laughed "I am far from fearless"

"What do you mean?" he asked

"Well at home I was very shy, always feared that I would say the wrong thing"

"Well that hardly shows here" he said

"I know that is why I like it here so much" I said as I smiled

I glanced over and saw that Sam had returned with a handful of that weed he was told to get.

"Where is Aragorn?" he asked "I thought he would be back by now"

Then before anyone could answer, a beautiful elf woman stepped out of the forest with Aragorn

"She's an elf" said Sam wide eyed

She ran over to Frodo and talked to him, also talking to Aragorn

Then the two stood up and went over to the horse

Then they started speaking elvish

"What are they saying?" asked Pippin

"They are arguing over who will take Frodo, but Arwen will take him in the end, she is after all the fastest rider out of the two."

Sam, Pippin, and Merry all starred at me looking very confused. Probably wondering why I knew so much.

Then Arwen was off with Frodo, "They will make it" I said

"I hope so" said Aragorn

"They will" I said calmly

"How do you know so much?" asked Merry who sounded a bit annoyed

"Yeah, she knew who the elf was and she knew what you were saying when you were speaking elvish." Said Pippin

"She probably just knows elvish, don't you Lydia?" asked Aragorn

"Um.. yea.. Sort of, but not entirely" I said

"And why is it you are always so sure of yourself all the time?" asked Pippin

"I just know… Ok" I said

The rest of the trip took a few more days of walking, most of the time I stayed quiet, I hope they aren't mad at me because I know what's going to happen.

Finally during one of our resting times, I asked "You guys aren't mad at me are you?"

"No" "Of course not" they all said

"Oh, well I felt that ever sense the whole elf thing the other day, you guys were mad at me"

"No we were just curious is all" said Merry

"We've just been quiet because we are worried about Frodo" said Sam

After that I felt a lot better….


End file.
